To enable participants to sing, drum and dance Bira songs: Doro ReMaonde, Nzira Dzemusango.

Learn to hear mbira in a Shona way through singing what the mbira is playing. Especially recommended for new mbira players.

Beauler will teach a variation of Kuzanga singing called Watora Chimhandara Chake.

This unique workshop will give participants the opportunity to learn songs in a variety of different rhythms and styles, all of which are commonly sung at kurova guva ceremonies in Zimbabwe. We will discuss the importance of musical performance at this ritual event held a year after the death of a family member in order to reunite their spirit with the ancestors. Through learning to sing a sampling of these songs and looking at their lyrics in the context of kurova guva, students in this workshop will come to understand how music is structured at this particular ritual event, and how kurova guva is especially important in Shona culture.

To expose and enable participants to experience this contemporary and recreational style of Zimbabwean vernacular music — Chekucherere, Nansi Ingwe, Mwana wenyu takamutora kare.

From beginners to advanced singers, this class is designed for all those who feel they need more work with Shona pronunciation and vocal tone. Through lyrics to the well-known song Chemutengure, this workshop will focus on enabling non-Zimbabweans to sing in Shona. We will cover the pronunciation of basic written Shona, the vocal tone used in Shona singing, and the structure of Shona call-and-response and mbira singing lines. This class is excellent for all levels of ability and will enhance participants’ ability to learn material presented by other teachers.

Lora will work with groups who need help in their songs to better their lyric pronunciation and harmonies, or those that need to learn songs to what they already play. Groups can send in suggestions of songs to me.

Before the advent of television and cinema, we African people had some ways of entertaining ourselves during the full moon shine. Groups would come from different villages and come to a common venue, and they would entertain themselves by singing and dancing. The singing in this class is going to be related to that context — joyful music which can introduce people to joyful dance.

David Gweshe will introduce some ceremonial music, and will explain the content of the song, where it is sung, why, and the message it has.

This class is great for mbira students and their families and friends, since all mbira players play this classic piece. This wonderful version of the singing is from the Dzapasi Mbira Group in Rwizi Village, Mhondoro Communal Area, Zimbabwe.

Students will learn songs and become familiar with various cultures of Zimbabwe.

The ngano (traditional story) of the Eagle, the Owl and the Rabbit — whose mbira is it? The first part of this workshop (for everyone) will be the story, and learning the song that goes with it. The second part of the workshop (for mbira students only) will be the kushaura and kutsinhira mbira parts for the song.